1985 Subaru DL sedan from North America - Comments

CV joints had to be replaced at 75000 km's.

Exhaust system replaced.

Alternator and wiring harness replaced. (alternator caught fire)

Multiple electrical problems.

Power mirrors quit.

Body rust very bad by 70,000 km's.

Difficult to start in the cold.

Shift-down solenoid went south.

Frameless windows leaked air and water, very noisy at speed.

Heater core blew.

An ugly, noisy, underpowered and unreliable wart of a car.

I bought a 1984 DL used, since I had only test driven it locally I did not try out the fifth gear. Of course, it was busted. I drove 60 miles down to Boulder CO and got a used transmission. Got it home and it was the wrong variety. The shop brought up the correct one. The correct one was a a five speed with optional front and back drive. Still not bad so far, $900 for the car and $250 for the trans. It had 120,000 miles on it. The engine blew and I had to replace it for $400. The front brakes shimmied like hell. Had to fix those, but they never were really good. The good news about the new engine was I went from the old distributor to an electronic one.

Now the good news, gas mileage was good, got 32 on the highway. Plus there never was a snow road that it could not traverse.

All went well until I got married a couple of years ago and my wife told me to sell it, it was ugly.

Sold it for $1450. Not bad really.

I bought one for my son for $25 for first car-we "fixed" the junker, painted it and he drove it for 1 1/2 years- 40M miles-car has 270M miles on it now. It has fallen apart, but still runs-I bought 1 for $50 that needed about $150 in rear axle parts I drive it daily, It has 175M miles. Ugly car, but goes ANYWHERE! I live in country and it's a great snow car. Parts are hard to find, but I have 2 intact parts cars that were given to me. These are definitely fun cars to mess with, kinda cultish though. In mid Missouri, I think they all rusted out and I have about the only ones left around here.

I've had my old subaru for about 7 years now and its by far the best running used car I've bought!! When I bought it all it needed was a new exhaust.

The only thing that went wrong with it was last year my a/c went out, but still not bad for the car being 18 or 19 years old!